Neurostimulation is a treatment method utilized for managing the disabilities associated with pain, movement disorders such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), dystonia, and essential tremor, and a number of psychological disorders such as depression, mood, anxiety, addiction, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. The most common neurostimulation therapy is spinal cord stimulation (SCS) systems where electrodes of a stimulation lead are implanted in the epidural space in position to stimulate dorsal fibers of the spinal cord.
Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation is another known neurostimulation therapy. DRG stimulation is described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,337,005 which is incorporated herein by reference. In many implant procedures for DRG stimulation, a stimulation lead is initially introduced within the epidural space using a needle or other suitable implant tools. The stimulation lead is steered across the epidural space and through a foramen. After passing through the foramen, the stimulation lead is advanced along the dorsal root to place the electrodes in proximity to the respective DRG. Although DRG stimulation represents a significant advance in the treatment of chronic pain for select patients, the implant procedure can be technically challenging in certain circumstances. For example, scar tissue may prevent the possibility of advancing the stimulation through the foramen.